Deception
by Tiana-P
Summary: Kono and Mary Ann try to pull one over on Steve. Established Steve/Kono


_**A/N: Hiya again! Once again, I cannot believe the awesome response I got for my previous fic, and the one before that. Honestly, I am beyond amazed! You guys are just great. Just fyi, for anyone wondering, I am working on a sequel to 'Annoying Steve', cleverly named 'Annoying Kono'. See what I did there? Hehe. In the meanwhile, here's my newest oneshot. I say that lightly, because it's almost 6k words. These two just get me carried away! Hope you all enjoy it as much as the last two, if not more. Please R&R =D**_

_**Big thanks to cm757 for pushing me to write, being my beta and always eager to help me out. And to qirjanran, who convinced me to actually write this, converting it from a tiny idea to a full-blown fic, and for beta'ing it too, as well as gushing over it [ridiculously! =P] giving me the confidence to post it. Thank you both a million!**_

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><p>Inhaling deeply, Kono stretched as she blinked slowly at the morning light that had already filled up the room. If there was one thing that she loved most about waking up in a house right next to the ocean, it was the fact that everything seemed so much calmer with the gentle sound of the waves and the smell of the sea in the air.<p>

Reaching for her phone on the bedside table, she curled back up on her side to face the rest of the bed. The _empty_ bed. Which wasn't so unexpected at near 9am on a Saturday morning. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept in so late. Although calling 9am 'late' sort of went to show just how messed up her life was. But she guessed that was what happened when you worked for the governor's task force or preferred to be up early for a surf.

Or because your crazy ninja of a boyfriend had plans _other_ than sleeping first thing in the morning. When they involved her and the bed, she usually didn't mind. Even if it did cut into her already depleted sleeping hours. Right then, however, he was nowhere in sight. The sheets in front of her were cool as she ran her hand over it, telling her that he had probably left a while ago.

A sudden clang, the distinctive sound of a metal pan hitting a granite counter, snapped Kono out of her thoughts and back to reality. Her lips tugged into a smile as she realised who it must be, knowing that Steve was much too careful to ever drop anything.

Mary Ann. The blonde had turned up recently without any warning, much to the annoyance of her brother. She had claimed that if she _had_ told him about her impending arrival, then he would have most likely have met her at the airport before putting her on the first plane back to the mainland. Kono didn't have to do more than glance at his face to know that it was the truth.

So instead, they had found her at his place one evening after work. That had been over a week ago. And in that time, the two girls had struck up quite a decent friendship. It wasn't hard to do, considering that they had met before and had similar interests. Trashy TV, surfing, swimming, shopping, keeping Steve from doing something stupid.

She had also become somewhat of a buffer between the two siblings. Despite her attempts to not get involved in their familial disputes, there were certain times when she had felt the need to step in, frankly because they were both as stubborn as each other, never giving up on their arguments. Also, because she was pretty sure that there had been times when Mary Ann had been pushed so close to the edge, she had looked like she had been about to do something crazy, such as murder Steve. Which would not end well because, apart from the obvious murder charge, Kono kind of loved him and so, felt it was her duty to stop it.

Therefore, when Mary Ann had texted her the day before whilst at work, telling her about a hot guy that she had met on the beach who had asked her out, and could she please, please, _please_, keep Steve away from the house for a few hours that night, Kono had readily agreed. The poor girl had been living under her brother's watchful eye ever since she had came back, and she deserved a break. She just hoped he never found out.

Kono had first thought about simply convincing him to stay at her place that night, but that had gone to hell when she recalled the conditions that he had given Mary Ann if she wanted to stay in Hawaii. The main one being that she stayed at the house, essentially so he knew where she was. He had later confessed to her, after some prodding, that he felt better knowing that his sister was close by in the night after what had happened last time. And considering that Wo Fat was still out there, Kono had accepted his reasoning with a heavy heart.

And she had known that there was no way she could tell him the real reason for why he couldn't go home that evening after work, which had left only one other possibility. Get him to take her out. It was a fail proof idea; if she asked nicely enough, she could probably get him to agree to take her to the moon. He might not know subtlety, or how to follow laws, but no-one could ever accuse Steve McGarrett of not knowing how to treat a girl.

They had ended up going to a Thai place which they both loved but rarely got to go to as it was located on the other side of the island. However, with some pleading, pouting and a kiss, Kono had managed to convince him in about a minute. Yeah, that's right; she could break a thoroughly trained SEAL without a sweat. It was a skill she was very proud of and used wisely. For her own benefit.

The evening was filled with talk and laughter, simply enjoying one another's company as they ate and drank. She had dragged the impromptu date into the night, persuading him to go for a walk on the nearby beach to help them digest their rather large meal even when all she wanted to do was to get in the car, go home and curl up either on the couch or in bed. But her thoughts had gone to the texts from that afternoon and Kono had managed to get the strength to fight against her want in order to give Mary Ann an hopefully equally enjoyable night.

By the time they had gotten home, it had been past 1am, having stopped for some shave ice on the way. It had been Steve's idea, and she could never turn down dessert. They had crept into the house _very_ quietly, feeling almost like teenagers arriving home well past their curfew as they made their way up towards his bedroom.

Two things passed through her mind as she had bitten her bottom lip to keep from laughing at their antics, especially as Steve's hand began inching its way around her waist, dancing under the hem of her top. One, she was glad the guilt she had began to feel about lying to him was starting to fade, and two, that he was too focused on her to even think about checking upon his sister.

So focused, in fact, that as soon as she heard the bedroom door shut behind her, Kono found herself being pushed back onto the bed, lips already on hers and hands slipping off her top in one fluid movement. He had always been so good at getting her right where he wanted her without any preamble. She was just happy that there were advantages of this deceit. Ok, so maybe the guilt hadn't vanished completely, but he did do a great job at making her forget her own name as he nipped not-so-gently at her neck and trailed his hands down her body.

Kono's hand went to her neck as she recalled the memory; remembering more than just a small nip as the night had gone on. Sighing, she pushed back the covers and got out of bed, making sure to pull on some shorts and a tank top instead of her usual shirt with the additional houseguest. She might have become friends with Mary Ann, but she could never be comfortable enough to walk around in just a shirt and underwear the morning after, even if she did spend a lot of time in a bikini. There was a big difference. It was much more intimate.

Her first stop was the mirror, where she craned her neck to get a better look and was glad to see that there was only the faintest hint of a mark marring her skin. Nothing she couldn't hide with her hair if she styled it just right. Makeup was only necessary for when they went out or for work. Otherwise, she usually ended up in the water by the afternoon, so it was rather pointless.

The next stop was the kitchen for some food. It might have been a heavy dinner last night, but she was pretty sure she had burnt it all off by the time they had drifted asleep. Simply the thought of food almost made her stomach rumble, and she had just passed the bathroom when a hand grabbed her from the other side of the door and pulled her in, shutting and locking the door behind her.

Her first instinct was to fight; her training kicking in even a few minutes after waking up, especially when she saw that she didn't recognise the man who had now let go of her arm. The man who immediately clicked in Kono's head to be Mary Ann's date from last night if his surfer looks were anything to go by. Definitely someone you'd meet on a beach; blonde, blue eyed, fairly tall and built, and _oh my God_, he was naked.

"Oh, _oh_!" Kono quickly did the only thing she could think of and slapped a hand over her eyes as she exclaimed not-so-eloquently.

The man had a clear Californian accent when he spoke, one she was familiar with after so many years on the pro-surfing circuit. "You're not Mary," he said, stating the obvious.

"No, I'm not," she replied, surprised with how calm she was, considering her situation. The situation which she had made no move to leave, for some very awkward reason.

"You must be her sister-in-law. Thanks for last night." There was sincerity in his voice but Kono was more focused on the first line. _'Sister-in-law'_. What the hell had Mary Ann been saying about them?

"I'm not- I mean-" she faltered, trying to explain that no, she wasn't married, but gave up once she realised who she was talking to. "Yeah, whatever," she muttered instead, dropping her hand to wave around and upon seeing that the situation had not change, she shifted her eyes upwards at once. "Could you put some clothes on, brah? Please?"

She has no idea where the politeness was coming from, because on the inside, she was pretty sure she was still in shock. Her time with Five-0 must have trained her well to keep her emotions hidden and to move on. Clearly, it was a vital life skill. For when you ran into your boyfriend's sister's naked one night stand in the bathroom the next morning. Only she could end up in such a situation. _Only her._

"Right, sorry," he apologized, grabbing a nearby towel and finally wrapping it around his waist. "I thought you were-"

Kono cut him off by holding up a hand and finally looked at him. "Yeah, I got it," she said, exasperated.

"Good," he sighed in what must have been relief if the way his posture relaxed and the soft smile on his face was anything to go by. She was paying way too much attention to him. "Because Mary said her brother wouldn't take it lightly if he knew I was here. I was supposed to leave last night, you see." She really didn't, but Kono didn't need a better jolt than the mention of Steve to get her moving. Why was she still there?

"I- Why-?" She stopped trying when she figured out that she didn't even know what she was trying to ask. Placing a hand to her forehead, she closed her eyes briefly and took in a breath. "Just do me a favour and stay here, ok? I'm gonna go get Mary. And for the love of God, don't go pulling anyone in again. And do _not_ let Steve see you. He will actually kill you."

Kono had turned away from him, one hand on the lock and the other on the handle, when he spoke up. "Seriously?" She was pretty sure she didn't imagine the nervousness or the slight incredulity in his voice.

"You have no idea," she sighed before opening the door and stepping out into the hallway. Hurriedly shutting it behind her, she leant against the wall next to it. "That did not just happen," she whispered to herself, almost willing the past to erase itself, because there was now a high possibility that Steve would need to re-do his bathroom so she could join him for a shower sometime in the future without that memory in her head.

Pushing herself away, Kono ran a hand through her hair as she made her way down the hallway towards the stairs. "Mary! _Mary_!" The sounds to which she had woken up to had stopped, but she had failed to notice why until she reached halfway down the staircase.

Halting with one foot in the air in anticipation for the next step, she forced herself to remain calm. "Hey, what's going on?" Steve asked her as he crossed over from the doorway towards where she was, worry etched in his features as he did.

"Steve, hey. Nothing," she replied as nonchalantly as she could with a small smile. Which, by the sceptical look that he threw her as he waited on the grounding by the stairs, wasn't as nonchalant as she had wished. But before she could address it, she spotted the woman she had been calling for coming to join them. "Mary. You, bathroom, _now_, please." Kono said pointedly, with a slight raise of an eyebrow.

Mary Ann grinned back sheepishly. "Sorry," she muttered, not that she looked sorry at all to Kono as she passed her on the stairs somewhat coolly despite the circumstances. She figured it must run in the family to not react like a normal person in dire situations.

"What's that about?" Steve questioned, his eyes boring into hers with that laser focus glare of his. She stared back, keeping the smile on her face as she made her way down the rest of the steps until she reached the last one and stopped. The slight height advantage it gave her over him helped her keep up the innocence charade.

"Hmm? Oh, you know. Girl stuff," she waved off, tearing her eyes away when she became aware of the cup he held. "Is that coffee?" Not waiting for him to reply, she took it from his hand and sipped it. The hot, bitter beverage was a welcomed taste after the morning so far. And she'd only been awake for about 15 minutes.

"Kono," he said warningly, not looking impressed by her change of subject. His tone was the same as the one she had heard him use on suspects when the lie they had told him was the most ridiculous thing in the world, and did they really think he was that stupid? She didn't, but she didn't fancy telling him the truth either.

Pausing to take another sip, she watched as his clenched jaw and tense muscles relaxed slightly. Not completely, but it was a start. "It's nothing," Kono told him, to which he didn't reply but simply kept on looking at her. Sighing, she rested the cup against the railing and reached out with her other hand to gently skim over his cheek, taking a step closer to him yet still keeping her advantage. "You _really_ don't wanna know," she whispered.

A smile began to tug at his lips, breaking through his resolve, much to her relief. "Hmm, is that so?" he murmured, pulling her closer by her waist until she was pressed against him and their mouths met for a kiss that was nothing less than passionate. Kono slipped her hand down to his neck and around to run through his soft hair at the nape.

She broke off the kiss when the need to breathe became an urgent factor. Scrunching her nose slightly, she pulled back the hand she had wrapped around him and wiped it unceremoniously on his t-shirt.

"Ew, you're all sweaty," she moaned, making him laugh at her antics. She wasn't sure what was so funny about it, because it really was kind of gross, but she went along with it because it was worth seeing him laugh about it.

Steve stepped up onto the stairs next to her, keeping one arm around her waist as he pressed his lips to her temple. "You weren't complaining last night," he told her quietly, and she could feel the sly smirk against her skin. Pushing him away with smirk to match, she escaped from his grasp and took the last step to reach the landing.

Kono rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's true," she merely replied, hiding her smile behind the cup of coffee as she sipped at it.

She watched him over the rim of cup as he opened his mouth to say something, probably something suggestive, before deciding against it and simply grinned back. "Ok, I'm gonna go grab a shower. That is, if Mary's done in the bathroom," he added, quirking an eyebrow as if challenging her to stop him. And she would have, had she not been keeping an ear out for the tell-tale sounds of muted footsteps moving from the bathroom to one of the bedrooms. Multitasking was a piece of cake to her.

The thought of food reminded her of her original intentions for breakfast. Heading towards the kitchen as Steve went up the stairs, she was happy to see pancakes already made, stacked up on a plate on the counter. With a cup of coffee already in hand, Kono smiled to herself. She was really getting spoilt, staying over in this house so much recently.

Grabbing a plate, she took a few of the pancakes and layered it with both maple syrup and whipped cream from the fridge before taking a seat at the island in the middle of the reasonably sized kitchen. She had just dug her fork into the first piece when the sound of footsteps came down the stairs, hushed by low voices and laughter.

Her plate was half empty by the time the front door closed and Mary Ann had joined her in the kitchen. Considering Steve only took 3 minutes in the shower, and then another one or two to get ready, it didn't give her much of a timeframe to get her guy out of the house.

"That was close, Mary," she told her with a teasing smile.

The blonde laughed and leaned against the counter opposite her with her own cup of coffee. "You're telling _me_? He was meant to leave last night, but then I heard you two come home and well..." she trailed off with a sly look of her own.

Kono stared at her in horror. "You heard?"

"Just the doors and the creeping," Mary Ann assured her gently, much to her relief. "Oh, and the giggling and laughing. Don't worry. Anything else, _I_ was too busy to hear."

"I didn't need to know that, but ok." Grimacing playfully, she loaded another cut of her breakfast onto her fork. "You gonna see him again?"

Mary Ann shrugged with one shoulder. "Meh. I haven't really thought about it. He was a great guy, though. _Great_," she repeated with a low laugh that told Kono that she wasn't just talking about his personality. "You didn't think so?" she asked when she failed to get a reply.

Swallowing, Kono put down her fork and reached for her hot beverage. "I don't think I have the, uh, _experience_ to comment on that," she said slowly before sipping her drink. The other woman bit her lip and smirked at her.

"He was hot though, right?" she asked, arching a brow knowingly even though Kono remained quiet. "It's alright, I won't tell Steven. I know how he gets, Mr. I-can-kill-you-with-my-eyes-alone," Mary Ann rolled her own eyes and Kono had to wonder how many times she must have been on the receiving end of said look, considering what Chin claimed about their father having the same look.

"Yeah, I just got that laser focused glare of his," she informed her, shaking her head gently as she went back to her breakfast. It was too enticing to keep away.

A sheepish look overcame Mary Ann's features as she put down her mug and spoke seriously. "Sorry about that. And thanks, you know. For last night? It- I really needed it. I know you don't like lying to him, but living here and having him have to know my every move _all the freaking time_ just makes me wanna scream."

The last words were emphasized with a deep sigh of frustration, one which made Kono feel sorry for her. Although she knew the real reason behind Steve's actions, and she was pretty sure the blonde knew it too, she too knew what it was like to live under the watchful eye, or eyes in her case, of overprotective people.

"He only does it because he cares," Kono told her softly, to which she chuckled drily.

"I know. That only makes it worse," she replied in the same tone before shrugging once again and turning away to grab an apple from the fruit bowl behind her.

Kono took her actions as a cue to leave their conversation at that, but as she got back to her food, a sudden thought passed through her mind. Finishing off the last piece of her pancakes, she placed the knife and fork onto her plate and pushed it away gently.

"Hey, Mary?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she leant forwards on her elbows, coffee cup between her hands. "'Sister-in-law'?"

Her question earned her a laugh. "It was the easiest explanation," she defended herself.

"'Brother's girlfriend' has less words," Kono retorted, to which Mary Ann nodded as if she had already contemplated the phrase before.

"But more questions," she said and Kono couldn't help but to laugh lightly at her thinking.

They were still laughing, or at least smiling, when Steve entered the room a moment later. Usually, the man hardly made a sound at all as he approached, something Kono had learnt from experience and bad memories, but fresh out of the shower and bare foot, he was even stealthier.

"What's so funny?" His voice appeared from nowhere to her, making her involuntarily jump. Thankfully, it wasn't enough for anyone to notice. Well, maybe Steve did, because he noticed _everything_, but at least he didn't comment on it. Instead, he headed straight for the fridge, eyeing them both carefully as he pulled out a bottle of water before turning to face them. "You know, I'm glad you two get along and all, but that doesn't mean I appreciate having secrets in my house."

"_Our_ house," Mary Ann corrected him, to which he threw her an unamused look. "Modern society and all that. Nowadays, both girls _and_ boys get equal ownership."

"Fine, whatever," he dismissed before turning to look at Kono. She smiled at him innocently, sipping her almost finished coffee. The glare he sent her was a more subtle version of his infamous one; one which she liked to think she was immune to. Right then, she was sure proving her point, because it only took about 10 seconds for him give it up and sigh. "Ok, I see how it is. That's cool. I have work to do anyway, so you two carry on. "

Leaving the kitchen without another word or waiting for a reply, Steve headed towards the other room where he usually stacked up his paperwork when he didn't get to finish it at work and brought it home to be done. Unfortunately for the two of them, it was the next room, which meant that no matter how quiet they tried to be, there was no doubt he would hear something or another.

"You wanna go shopping, Kono?" Mary Ann asked her suddenly before taking a bite out of her apple. Even after her plate of pancakes, the crunchy, green fruit looked really appetizing to her.

"Shopping?" she repeated as she got up and placed her plate and cup in the sink. "Yeah, I could do with some retail therapy. Gimme 30 minutes to get ready." Kono grabbed an apple out of the fruit bowl as she got an affirmative reply before heading towards the front room. She hadn't even reached the upper landing when the now-familiar tones of the two siblings bickering over something pointless reached her ears. Oh yeah, a day of shopping sounded perfect.

...

Kono laughed openly as she reached the shore, jumping off her surfboard and picking it up without another glance behind her at the man who had dared her to a race. Fortunately for her, she had caught one of the best waves of the day, easily gliding her way back to the beach as Steve swam the remainder. He was fast, there was no denying that, but even though she had been further away, nothing could beat her on her surfboard when the elements were on her side.

Making her way back to the tree where they had left their stuff, she peered discreetly over her shoulder to see her boyfriend closing up the distance to where the water got shallow enough to walk. She shook her head; reluctantly tearing her eyes away from what she knew would be a fine sight when a familiar looking guy approached her.

"Hey! You probably don't recognize me with clothes on, but I'm that guy who, uh, pulled you into the bathroom. Accidentally." The blonde haired, blue eyed man was now, thankfully, wearing board shorts and a wifebeater, but Kono hadn't needed the entire description to place him.

Digging her board into the sand, she wrapped a sarong around her waist and smiled politely. "Nah, trust me, I don't think I could forget you easily," she informed him, cringing slightly as the memory that she had thought she had repressed came forth. Luckily for her, she had the ability to push it back again instantly.

He laughed, looking down at the sand momentarily while she towelled the rest of her body dry. "I'll take that as a compliment," he said, looking back at her before glancing around the near area. Kono followed his movements and saw Steve leave the water, approaching them slowly. Things might just get awkward. Well, _more_ awkward. "So, where's Mary?"

Snapping back to the man in front of her, she ran a hand through her hair before replying. "She's uh, she's not here."

"Oh. Cool, just tell her I said hi," he replied, nodding slowly in understanding and Kono wondered whether Mary Ann had gotten back in contact with him in the last 3 weeks. It was a subject that had never been brought up, mainly out of the fear that Steve, with his ninja skills and all that, might overhear.

The same ninja skilled SEAL who had now reached the two of them. "Hey," he greeted her even though his eyes flitted towards the stranger she was talking to. He walked around to her other side and pulled down his towel from where he had thrown it over one of the low branches to keep the sand out of it.

"Hey." Kono couldn't think of what else to say, and simply watched him as he distractedly dried his face before looking back at the two of them. She felt bad for the surfer in front of her. He had clearly clocked on to who Steve was, and yet, he still hadn't left, most likely out of arrogance. Stupid men and their egos. It only made _her_ life harder.

She knew she should introduce them, considering the awkwardness that already surrounded them, but she had no idea what to say. She didn't even know his name, and she assumed introducing him as the guy she had ran into naked in the bathroom wouldn't go down well.

"Who's this?" Steve asked in his typical abrupt manner, nodding towards him even as he turned to look at her.

Kono paused, inhaling deeply as she decided on what to say. "Just someone I know," she came out with, figuring being vague about a guy who looked like a surfer would lead him to believe it was one of her old friends from her days on the pro-circuit.

"Uh huh," he murmured, and she knew that it hadn't worked. "Steve McGarrett," he introduced himself, turning towards him and stretching out the hand that wasn't holding onto the towel.

Hesitating, the other man looked at the hand warily for a split second before gripping it in a quick shake. Kono could see the muscles in Steve's jaw twitch in a way that she knew meant that he was trying not to smirk. There was no doubt that he was an intimidating man at any other time, but when he actually _tried_, even she could feel the power of it.

"Liam Anderson." Now that she thought about it, he _did_ look like a 'Liam'. "Nice to, uh- To meet you." Although he sounded sincere, she doubted he actually appreciated meeting the man he had been warned about, and managed to avoid, 3 weeks ago.

There was another awkward silence where no-one did anything but look at each other. Well, Kono watched as Steve stared stonily whilst Liam's eyes jumped between the two of them, and the environment around them. She would have felt sorry for him if it wasn't for the fact that he could have left before this all began.

Finally, Steve sighed and turned his body towards her, even as his eyes barely left the man opposite them. "Is this the guy?" he asked tonelessly, crossing his arms in a way that meant serious business.

Kono paused, confused with his words and even more with the simultaneous action. "What guy?" she asked slowly, her eyebrows drawing together when he rolled his eyes.

"The guy you and Mary were trying to hide from me a few weeks ago," he answered. The words were a statement, shocking both her and Liam, or so she assumed from the way his head snapped towards him. Kono couldn't do anything but blink, even as Steve smirked wryly. "What, you thought I didn't know? I'm not in charge of Five-0 for no reason, sweetheart."

He only ever called her 'sweetheart' when he was being sarcastic or condescending, so she didn't know what to say in reply to that. Because, yes, she _had_ thought he hadn't known, despite the fact that he _was_ a great investigator and more than that, had an uncanny knack of finding out everything. It was her own fault, really. Her's and Mary Ann's, of course. They should have known better than to try and keep a secret from him.

"I should go. Nice seeing you again," Liam told Kono suddenly and hurriedly, much to her relief. "And, uh, nice meeting you. See ya," he added for Steve, to which the latter nodded silently. Kono waved once as he turned away and walked back over to where she assumed his stuff laid.

"Really, him? You guys lied to me for _him_?" Steve asked with a mix of incredulity and disgust, staring after the man as he picked up a surfboard and headed towards the water. She must have missed the part where he took off his top when she busied herself with trying to gauge Steve's reaction.

Kono stood in front of him, taking the place that Liam had been in only moments earlier. "I'm sure he's a nice person," she shrugged, eyeing him carefully as his gaze returned to her. The smirk had slipped off his face, replaced by a frown that was now fading. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Steve eyed her stoically, keeping quiet as he turned away to pick up his top and threading his arms through it. "What use would it have done apart from driving Mary away?" he asked rhetorically, only glancing at her once before pulling on his top. She recognized the movement as a way to underplay the true meaning behind his words; that he would rather have his sister happy and safe, than having fight and risk losing her over something that had already happened.

More than that, Kono was glad that he trusted them both enough to know that, although it was reckless, they wouldn't have kept it a secret if they had been in any trouble. In fact, he seemed very blasé about the whole thing; a front which she knew only covered the urge to do something that would most likely cause a scene.

"Don't smirk," Steve scoffed, and she grinned instead, not even knowing that she had been smirking in the first place. He let out a sigh as she did so, tossing his towel over his shoulder and crossing his arms once again. "It's not as cute as you think it is."

Laughing, she stepped closer to him and lowered her voice. "Oh, I _know_ it's pretty damn cute. Just like you are when it comes to your sister." She tapped his chin once before he moved it out of her way sharply, leaving her to laugh once again and walk away to gather up the rest of her own stuff.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go get some shave ice," he brushed off, changing the subject without even attempting to hide it. Kono pulled on her own top and flicked her wet hair over her shoulder before hitching her bag onto the other. She even allowed him to grab her surfboard for her; not something she let him do a whole lot, but hey, sometimes it was fun to have someone do something for you.

"Wow, I have to say, I'm impressed. I like this Steve McGarrett, not reacting with violence," she commented with dramatic seriousness as they began their way towards where they had parked, swaying into him gently to lighten his mood. He shook his head at her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders to pull her closer.

"Don't get too use to it. I'll knock his lights out if I ever see him again," he muttered into her hair before dropping a kiss to the top of her head, and she wondered how he could be so threatening and affectionate at the same time. She broke away from him as they reached his pickup and threw her stuff into the front as he placed her board in the back. "So, you saw him _naked_?" he asked her in a nonchalant tone of confusion.

Kono froze, door half shut and turned to look at him frantically. Steve, however, was more preoccupied with the surfboard. "I- How-?" she trailed off, not sure how to reply. Especially when he turned to look at her with his boyish grin, making her more nervous about what the correct reply would be. Instead, she slammed the door close and chose to follow a rule in his book, brushing past him without another word and towards Kamekona's shop. "Let's just go get that shave ice."

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><p><strong><em>AN: Thanks for reading! =D Lemme know what you think, please?_**


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